A recent statement by Cleta Mitchell, one of the Republican Party’s most influential lawyers in the field of so-called “election integrity” (often seen as voter suppression efforts), has sparked deep concern among political observers.
In a conversation with Christian conservative leader Tony Perkins, Mitchell suggested that Donald Trump may invoke a “national sovereignty emergency” to interfere with federal elections. She claimed that the president could “exercise special powers” to “protect elections.”
However, legal experts insist this is a false, dangerous, and unconstitutional argument. The U.S. Constitution grants states the authority to conduct elections, with Congress holding the power to regulate them. The president has no role whatsoever in managing elections.
“Mitchell is not some fringe character. She holds enormous influence with the White House, the Republican National Committee, and thousands of grassroots activists. When she speaks, we must take it seriously—it reflects Trump’s real strategy,” one expert warned.
What alarms experts most is the possibility that Trump could unilaterally claim powers he does not have, forcing Democrats into costly and time-consuming legal battles—while elections unfold in a single day.
Mitchell’s role is not theoretical. She was present on the infamous 2020 phone call in which Trump urged Georgia’s Secretary of State to “find the votes” needed to overturn the results. Her involvement underscores her central role in efforts to pressure officials and subvert democracy.
This time, experts warn, the threat could be even greater, as Trump may attempt to deploy the military or federal law enforcement—tactics he was unable to fully execute in 2020.
“This is a five-alarm fire for American democracy,” one legal analyst stressed.
Equally troubling: mainstream media outlets have remained largely silent on Mitchell’s public remarks. Apart from Democracy Docket—a small independent news platform that broke the story—few major outlets have given it front-page coverage.
Observers warn that if the public and democratic institutions fail to confront this danger now, by the time Trump acts, it may already be too late.